Queen Heo, also known as Suriratna, was the cherished princess of Ayodhya.
South Korea on Tuesday congratulated India on the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, while highlighting the ancient relations between the two countries that are deeply rooted in the holy town. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the Korean Embassy in India retweeted a video post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in which he is seen walking to the sanctum sanctorum of the temple while holding a silver umbrella on a folded red dupatta. In the caption, the Korean embassy congratulated the nation on the grand opening of the Ram Temple and said that the town holds a "symbolic importance for Korea-India relations".
"Congratulations on the consecration ceremony of the #RamTemple in #Ayodhya. The place holds a great symbolic importance for Korea-India relations based on the matrimonial link between Queen #Sriratna (Heo Hwang-ok) from Ayodhya and King Kim Suro from Gaya(Korea) in 48 A.D," the Korean Embassy in India tweeted.
"We hope this family-like and spiritual bonds between our two nations will continue to strengthen and deepen, inspired by the idealism personified in Lord Ram as #Maryada #Purushottam," the embassy added.
Ayodhya is best known as the birthplace of Ram. However, it also holds a special significance for some South Koreans as many believe that they can trace their ancestry to the ancient city. This belief comes from several historical Korean stories, which tell the story of Indian princess Suriratna who married a South Korean king and started a dynasty.
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According to the legend, Princess Suriratna, also known as Heo Hwang-ok, married King Kim Suro of Karak Clain in 48 AD, some 2,000 years ago. It is believed that the then King of Ayodhya had a dream where God ordered him to send his 16-year-old daughter to South Korea to marry King Kim Suro. The princess met the king, leading to their eventual marriage. The royal couple prospered and had 10 sons and both lived to be over 150 years old, as per the BBC.
Queen Heo Hwang-ok's story is chronicled in the ancient Korean text "Samguk Yusa," which recounts King Suro's wife as a princess from the distant kingdom of Ayuta, widely believed to be today's Ayodhya. The queen's memorial, first established in Ayodhya in 2001, stands as a testament to this shared history.